Manufactured by Field Newcastle from Stora Enso's 240gsm Neocart board, the Hexatubes will go on UK sale this Summer, with the familiar letter on the lid being replaced by constantly updated "quirky messages", stickers or images inside each tube. The flip-top lids were designed by Gima Italy and Nestlé's Product Technology Centre in York and are made by Stora Enso.
Nestlé, which preceded the repackaging initiative with extensive market research, says its aim was to give the product a more "fresh, funky" look which would appeal to the key target audience of 8-11 year-olds.
It points to the success of its Smarties Bar and Fruity Smarties products as evidence that its consumers respond well to new product and packaging variants, even when they involve long-established brands.
